UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming beginning to his career under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger found success, delivering effective individual punches in a match where the techniques didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching marring the fight.
Two judges judged it 96-94 for to the winner, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best showing but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi said in the arena as he was greeted with negative reactions from the crowd.
The Londoner bounced back after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to earn a 20th career victory.
Various analysts felt Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer suffered the second loss of his 28-fight professional journey.
The Champion Earns Victory in Dull Affair
His career development has slowed in recent times through contract problems and considerable time of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - possibly in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with neither fighter prepared to overcommit in a calculated initial rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after breaking his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to narrowly win the more effective stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance diminished because of constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during close exchanges.
The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. Although, ex-champion Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just one round.
The victor moves on, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Battle
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by close verdict in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester contest to secure the European light heavyweight championship.
The stadium grew hushed for a deeply poignant homage prior to the bout as ten bells rang in remembrance of local hero Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the location since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the silence became a roar of "there's only one Hatton".
The action inside the ropes reflected the emotion. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch squarely on the face in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his footing on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured early, noticeable damage forming under his face as the pair exchanged punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, 34, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the intensity hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
Arthur barely secured the decision with judges scorecards of 114-114, close margin and 115-112, but each competitor were persistent and courageous, exactly what their hero Hatton embodied.
